All of us have been affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we are living in very strange times, and life will be quite different once we get to the other side. The worst thing, for us, is that we have missed being able to offer you the treatments that we know you love. We’re missing the conversations, your stories and our laughs, we are really looking forward to a time when we can see each other again and we can welcome you back to The Retreat. As much as we want to see you as soon as possible, The Retreat will not be opening until:
- We are legally allowed to do so.
- We consider it completely safe and we can ensure the safety of both staff and clients.
But please know that as soon as we can open, we will. Currently as we have no set date, we are reluctant to make appointments that may need to be moved – this makes work for us both. We are aware that some of you may still be shielding or feel anxious about making an appointment at this time. That’s absolutely fine – our main priority is for you to feel safe and comfortable.
Our priority is to keep you as safe as possible and prior to re-opening the salon we have spent our days researching and attending courses and webinars so that you can be confident we are doing everything physically possible. When we do re-open we have set about implementing a number of changes and new procedures which we would like to make you aware of.
When it comes to hygiene The Retreat has always been particularly strict, and we have always done more than we have been legally obliged to do. We can absolute promise you we follow best practice and constantly look at ways to improve what we are already doing. This is ongoing, especially as we receive more clarity from the Government of any mandatory changes they may make to our working practice. This, as you can appreciate, is a work in process. The guidelines we have set out here are correct as of June 2020, as we receive more information and guidance from the government we will update this policy accordingly and notify you of any changes.
Having assessed everything we do, the environment we work in and the procedures in place there wasn’t a lot to alter, but moving forward there are some changes that will come in to effect as and when we are allowed to re-open (which at the time of writing is said to be July but we will keep you updated).
Firstly, you will notice that when you arrive at the salon it will look a little different, there will be no soft furnishings or upholstered chairs, no faux plants or flowers, and no testers. This is to ensure the complete hygiene and cleanliness of everything. Items have been replaced with things that are easy to clean and disinfect quickly in between treatments. This is an essential and necessary measure to ensure maximum hygiene.
Booking Appointments
We are awaiting guidance from the government with regards to an opening date. When we have a date confirmed, we will make an announcement via email and social media. At which point our diary will opened and appointments can be made over the phone or via email. Online bookings will remain closed at this time. All appointments must be made in advance. There will be no opportunity for walk in appointments. If you do not have a confirmed appointment please DO NOT visit the salon.
If any of our staff feel ill or have symptoms of COVID-19, we will all self-isolate immediately and cease operation from the salon. This may mean that we have to cancel your appointment at short notice. We appreciate that this may be inconvenient but it is done entirely for your own safety and you will have the opportunity to reschedule your appointment.
If you, or any of the people you live/work with, feel ill or display any symptoms of COVID-19 please advise us as soon as possible and DO NOT COME TO THE SALON FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT. We have amended the cancellation policy and charges are suspended in these circumstances. You WILL NOT be charged for a short notice cancellation relating to COVID-19.
Visiting the Salon
For your safety and to maintain social distancing, we ask that you attend your appointments as close to the appointment time as possible. Please do not turn up early for appointments as you will have to wait outside. The waiting area and reception will be closed and you will only be allowed in to the salon at your allotted appointment time. At this point, you will be asked to place your personal items into the plastic box provided at either “Bay 1” or “Bay 2” (these will be disinfected between clients). You will then sanitise your hands, lift your box and be taken to the treatment room.
We have increased the frequency of cleaning in the salon including making sure that common surfaces, toilets door handles etc. are wiped clean using disinfectant products between each client, therefore appointments will be more staggered than before. There will be a minimum of 30 minutes gap in between all appointments to allow for cleaning. This may change in accordance with government guidelines.
Whilst we have never actively encouraged anyone bringing their children to an appointment there have been rare occasions when this has been unavoidable. From now on only the person who has the appointment can attend, this way we can ensure that there are a minimal number of people within the treatment room at any one time – just the therapist and the person receiving the treatment.
All tools and equipment will be, as they always have been, disinfected and sterilised in line with the specific manufacturers’ instructions for your safety. There will be many sets of tools to ensure there is always a clean and sterilised set available.
Wherever possible we will utilise environmentally friendly, single use items during a treatment that will be disposed of safely after use in order to protect you from cross infection.
For nail treatments, your nail file, buffer, orange stick and nail brush will be popped into a bag and labelled after your treatment for use next time you visit. This will prevent us from having to discard these items after use as sanitising them is no longer adequate (it’s also better for the environment!).
Please don’t be offended but our therapists will be wearing a disposable apron, a mask, visor and disposable gloves (where appropriate) for every treatment and the gloves, apron, mask and visor will be changed after every client. We are currently waiting for guidance on what PPE clients may need to wear. You will be made aware of this at the time of booking.
There will be no hand dryers or fabric towels, we will now only be offering disposable hand towels for you to dry your hands with which must be disposed of in the pedal bin provided. You will be asked to use the hand sanitiser provided before you enter the treatment room. You are welcome to wash your hands at any point throughout the duration of your visit, if you so wish.
We can confirm that the laundering of salon towels and uniforms is a priority and we can assure you that all salon laundry is washed at 60 degrees C. All towels are changed after each client and our uniform is changed daily. Uniforms and shoes will only be worn in the salon and not outside of the salon on public transport, in the street, in other shops etc.
All disposable items are bagged and safely removed from the treatment area daily or sooner if the bin is full. Sharps boxes are used for the disposal of sharps and other waste is bagged separately ready for collection from our waste disposal contractors.
No refreshments will be served during this time; you are welcome to bring your own bottle of water with you to drink during your treatment.
Dyson air purifiers are situated throughout the salon to ensure adequate ventilation.
With all of these changes and added hygiene and safety measures comes a cost. Due to high demand, the cost of PPE and consumables has sky rocketed. We have taken the decision not to put our treatment prices up but instead to charge a small fee of £2.50 to each client visiting the salon to help cover these costs. This cost will be reviewed regularly as government guidelines change and running costs come down.
Treatments
We have carried out a risk assessment on all treatments and we are confident that we can continue to provide these safely. This is, of course, once social distancing rules have been amended. If necessary, many treatments can be adapted, there may be restrictions on some treatments and some may be prohibited. We await further guidance from the Government on this at this time.
During your treatment
We understand the importance of hand hygiene and we will ensure that we wash our hands in accordance with NHS recommendations before the start of your treatment, and prior to putting our gloves on. We will repeat this hand washing process as necessary and always between clients.
We will do everything we can to make your treatment as safe, comfortable and enjoyable as possible. If you have any concerns about your treatments please let us know and we will do what we can to make you feel more at ease.
After the treatment
Once your treatment is complete, you can remove your items from the plastic box and your therapist will escort you back to reception. You can then pay for your treatment, purchase any retail and make your next appointment. The salon will then be thoroughly cleaned before the next client(s) arrive.
We will not be accepting payments by cash or cheque at this time. All payments must be made by card. (This will exclude Laurence & Tim, who will continue to take payment separately.)
Retail items are available to purchase, even without an appointment. Please call or email your order through and we’ll email you a secure payment link. We will let you know when your order is ready and arrange a collection time.
All of these procedures have been implemented for your safety and ours. We will continue to take advice from the Government and the NHS regarding safe practice and will amend these guidelines as necessary. If any amendments need to be made we will inform you immediately.
Thanks you for your understanding, we look forward to seeing you soon.
The Retreat Team
The Retreat Professional Health & Skincare Clinic
14 June 2020
